Surgical procedures often require the use of instruments which are grasped by the user and manipulated to carry out various steps in the surgical procedure. Current industry practice is to employ a “one size fits all” approach in which all instruments of a given model or type are produced with identical handles designed for an “average” or “typical” user. This approach fails to address the many variations that exist among a user population in hand or forearm morphology and functional capabilities such as size, health, strength, range of motion, and reaction speed. For example, users with relatively small hands are often left with no choice but to use an instrument with an uncomfortably large handle. As another example, an instrument having poorly-adapted ergonomics can have defined pressure points that cause fatigue or injury with repeated use. As a result, many users find instruments difficult to use, or suffer from reduced accuracy and increased fatigue that can lead to user or patient injury, e.g., due to repetitive stress injuries.
In view of these and other challenges, there is a continual need for improved surgical instruments and systems and methods for manufacturing the same.